Apparatus for removing labels from bottles



A ril 21, 1964 E. M. SCHAEFER APPARATUS FOR REMOVING LABELS FROM BOTTLESFiled 001;. 4, 1962 IN VENToR: l8 EDWARD M. $CHAEFER,

4 a M H 3 n-rromvsvs United States Patent 3,129,714 APPARATUS FORREMOVING LABELS FROM BOTTLES Edward M. Schaefer, 4300 Grace Ave., St.Louis, Mo. Filed on. 4, 1962, S81. No. 228,367 2 Claims. (Cl. 134--201)This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for removing labelsfrom bottles and, in particular, is concerned with a perforate traydevice adapted to be filled with labeled bottles which may be immersedin a container filled with degumming solvent.

It has long been a problem to provide a simple device for removinggummed labels from bottles. This is particularly true where the cappedbottles, whether empty or filled with low density material, float inwater or other degumming solvent.

By means of this invention there has been provided a simple perforatetray device, which can be filled with bottles having gummed labels, witha lid provided to prevent the bottles from floating, and the entire traycan be put inside a container filled with a convenient solvent fordegumming the labels. The tray filled with bottles with the gummedlabels can then be left in the container for a period of time sufficientto degum the labels after which the tray can then be taken out andrinsed and the bottles can be used in any desired fashion forrelabeling, where desired, and the like.

The invention finds particular employment in pharmacies where cappedprescription bottles, sometimes filled with pharmaceutical preparationsand sometimes unfilled, are desired to have the labels removed andrelabeled with the pharmacists own label. A large number of bottles canbe simply put in the tray with the lid attached to an appropriate leveland the tray may then be immersed in the container filled with thesolvent. By a special retaining device, the tray with the buoyancyeffect of the bottles can be kept from floating so that the bottles areimmersed for the desired period of time. After immersion, when thelabels are degummed by the action of the solvent, the tray may bewithdrawn and the bottles can be rinsed and then dried in appropriatefashion and relabeled.

The above features are objects of this invention and further objectswill appear in the detailed description which follows and will beotherwise apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of illustration, there is shown in the accompanyingdrawing a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be understoodthat these drawings are for the purpose of example only and that theinvention is not limited thereto.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the immersion tray immersed in acontainer;

FIGURE 2 is a view in section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1showing the operation of the adjustable prongs for adjusting the heightlevel of the tray lid; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View showing the spring biasingmeans for the lid adjustable prongs taken in section on the line 4-4 ofFIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus for removing labels frombottles is generally indicated by the reference numeral 19, and includesas its major components a solvent container 12, a wire tray 14 having ahandle 16, and an adjustable wire lid 18 having stationary retainingprongs 20, and an adjustment prong device 22.

3,129,714 Patented Apr. 21, 1964 The container 12, as best shown inFIGURES 1 and 2, has an overhanging and inwardly extending shelf member24, which prevents the tray from floating when filled with buoyantbottles. The container also has a beaded upper edge 26 by means of whicha latch, to be further described, is engaged to prevent the tray fromrising at the other end.

The wire tray 14 has side walls 28 which have a vertical depth justslightly less than the distance from the shelf 24 to the bottom of thecontainer, whereby the tray may be inserted thereunder. The tray is alsoprovided upon the handle 16 with a retainer latch 30, which is biased bya spring 31, and is adapted to engage the underside of the containerbead 26 to keep this end from rising due to floating action of thebuoyant bottles.

The lid 18, as best shown in FIGURE 1, has a pair of stationary prongsor studs 2% extending beyond the tray. These prongs are adapted to beinserted in the wire mesh opening of the side walls of the tray as bestshown in FIGURES 2 and 3. At the other end of the tray lid there is theadjustable prong device 22. The adjustable prong device is best shown inFIGURES 3 and 4 and comprises an adjustable prong 32, which is springbiased by springs 34 to the position shown in full lines in FIG- URE 3.Prong 32 is received within a housing 35 for slidable movement therein,and a pair of stabilizing wings 36 extend to either side so that thedevice does not tilt, and the handle 38 is maintained in verticalposition. The lid is further provided with a vertical support member 40so that the operator may grasp this with the thumb of a hand and depressthe prong handle toward the vertical support with the forefinger indrawing the adjustable prong back out of the engaged position to theposition shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 3 when adjustment of the lid orremoval is desired.

Use

In use, the container 12 is filled with a suitable solvent to the level41 shown in FIGURE 3 for degumming the bottle labels. Tln's solvent maybe acetone, a detergent, or soapy solution of water, or even just water.Then the tray, removed from the container, is filled with a number ofbottles. The lid is then attached to the tray by moving the adjustableprong to the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 3, and the lid issecured to the tray by inserting the stationary prongs 2th in the wiremesh at an appropriate position over the bottles, and then the other endof the lid is secured in the horizontal relationship to the other end ofthe tray by releasing the adjustable prong handle 33.

The tray filled with the bottles is then inserted in the container withthe end opposite the handle being inserted first underneath theretaining shelf 24 of the container. In this operation, the retainerlatch 30 is disengaged against the action of its biasing spring 31, and,when the tray is dropped to the position shown in FIGURE 3, the retainerlatch is released, thus locking the tray in place.

In this operation, the tray, when properly installed, is insured againstfloating by the limiting action of the retainer shelf 24 of thecontainer and the action of the retainer latch 30 at the opposite end.

After the tray has been immersed in the container, bottles 42, havinggummed labels 44 as shown in FIG- URE 3, may be left standing for aperiod of time suflicient for degumming the labels. It will beunderstood that any number of bottles can be filled in the tray up toits capacity. After standing for the necessary length of time, the trayis removed by first of all disengaging the retainer latch 30 and thenremoving the tray. The tray with the bottles may then be rinsed inanother container having a rinse solution, or under tap water asdesired.

In the operation, the gummed labels Will normally float away from thebottles, but, if not, Wash action will remove them and they can then bescrapped.

The bottles with the labels removed may then be dried and employed inany desired fashion and relabeled as required.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the process of thisinvention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Suchchanges and modifications are Within the scope and teaching of thisinvention as defined by the claims appended thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for removing gummed labels from buoyant bottles comprising acontainer adapted to be filled with a degumming solvent, a perforatetray having a handle extending outside said container, said tray havingside Walls of substantial depth and receiving a plurality of labeledbottles therein and a tray lid having means attachable to the tray invertically adjustable relation, means for maintaining the tray insubmerged relation in the container when filled with solvent against thebuoying action of buoyant bottles within the tray, said means comprisingan inwardly extending shelf at one end of the container adapted to serveas an overhanging stop member for the tray when inserted in thecontainer thereunder and a spring biased latch means supported from thelid handle and adapted to engage the exterior of the container at an endopposite to said shelf end to limit the vertical movement of the tray,said tray being immersible in solvent in the container with said bottlesbeing kept immersed in the solvent.

2. A device for removing gummed labels from buoyant bottles comprising acontainer adapted to be filled with a degumming solvent, a perforatetray having a handle extending outside said container, said tray havingside walls of substantial depth and receiving a plurality of labeledbottles therein and a tray lid having means attachable to the tray invertically adjustable relation, said means comprising a prong means atone end adapted to fit in selected perforations of one end of the trayand adjustable prong means at an opposite end of the tray engageable inbiased relation with selected perforations at an opposite end of thetray, said adjustable prongs being provided with a handle fordisengaging operation, means for maintaining the tray in submergedrelation in the container when filled with solvent against the buoyingaction of buoyant bottles within the tray, said means comprising aninwardly extending shelf at one end of the container adapted to serve asan overhanging stop member for the tray when inserted in the containerthereunder, and a spring biased latch means supported from the lidhandle and adapted to engage the exterior of the container at an endopposite to said shelf end to limit the vertical movement of the tray,said tray being immersible in solvent in the container with said bottlesbeing kept immersed in the solvent.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS863,649 Robinson Aug. 20, 1907 2,050,634 Stegemann Aug. 11, 19362,661,865 Wendt Dec. 8, 1953 2,820,446 Freeman Jan. 21, 1958

1. A DEVICE FOR REMOVING GUMMED LABELS FROM BUOYANT BOTTLES COMPRISING ACONTAINER ADAPTED TO BE FILLED WITH A DEGUMMING SOLVENT, A PERFORATETRAY HAVING A HANDLE EXTENDING OUTSIDE SAID CONTAINER, SAID TRAY HAVINGSIDE WALLS OF SUBSTANTIAL DEPTH AND RECEIVING A PLURALITY OF LABELEDBOTTLES THEREIN AND A TRAY LID HAVING MEANS ATTACHABLE TO THE TRAY INVERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE RELATION, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE TRAY INSUBMERGED RELATION IN THE CONTAINER WHEN FILLED WITH SOLVENT AGAINST THEBUOYING ACTION OF BUOYANT BOTTLES WITHIN THE TRAY, SAID MEANS COMPRISINGAN INWARDLY EXTENDING SHELF AT ONE END OF THE CONTAINER ADAPTED TO SERVEAS AN OVERHANGING STOP MEMBER FOR THE TRAY WHEN INSERTED IN THECONTAINER THEREUNDER AND A SPRING BIASED LATCH MEANS SUPPORTED FROM THELID HANDLE AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE EXTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER AT AN ENDOPPOSITE TO SAID SHELF END TO LIMIT THE VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF THE TRAY,SAID TRAY BEING IMMERSIBLE IN SOLVENT IN THE CONTAINER WITH SAID BOTTLESBEING KEPT IMMERSED IN THE SOLVENT.